


Twitches 3

by ThreeTimesCharmed



Category: Twitches (2005)
Genre: Drama, Family, Gen, Loss, Magic, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-28
Updated: 2017-09-02
Packaged: 2018-12-21 00:36:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11932668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThreeTimesCharmed/pseuds/ThreeTimesCharmed
Summary: Coventry has regained peace and the sisters are now older. While their new lives have been more than they could have ever asked for, they're about to quickly find that danger is approaching their doorsteps. (Abandoned: March 2018)





	1. Prologue

            It should have been an ordinary day. For many weeks, I had felt nothing but peace echoing throughout my kingdom of Coventry – as it should have been – but today felt different. In a mere single night, it seemed as if everything had changed in a way that I couldn’t even begin to explain. It was something that I felt inside of me late at night in the midst of what I believe to be more than a nightmare. It felt too real to be called a dream. I fear it to be what’s to come, but I dare not tell my daughters nor allow my husband to be involved.

            It was in the middle of the night that the voice came to me. It sounded so familiar and yet so far. I carefully climbed from bed, gently as not to wake Aaron beside me, and wrapped my night robe around me. I walked from our chamber to peer outside of the wooden doors separating us from the remainder of the castle. It appeared to be nothing, only a figment of my imagination from restless sleep, but in the midst of the night I felt a shiver up my spine. Something touched my shoulder, causing the amulet at my neck to glow as if warning the assailant. I turned sharply to find nothing there.

 _“Miranda…”_ a voice spoke, echoing down the hallway.

 _“Miranda…”_ it spoke again.

            I called back only to find no response, other than it repeating my name yet again. I hardly knew what to make of it. I turned to go back to bed, thinking it would leave me once I was under the safety of my covers, but that wouldn’t be the case. In a sudden moment, I felt as if I had been struck in the back in such a manner that it brought me down to my knees and gasping for breath. I put a hand to my chest in an effort to regain myself but I knew it wouldn’t leave me that easily. I moved to look over my shoulder and there it was! A stream of Darkness was coming towards me. I raised my hand up to counter it with my own magic. In a moment of bright lights that left me blinded, I felt the presence leave. When I closed my eyes to catch my breath, upon reopening them I found myself in bed yet again.

            Sunlight was beginning to peer through the curtains. Morning was upon us, and Aaron was still sleeping peacefully beside me as he had been what felt like moments ago.

 _What happened?_   I asked myself quietly.

            I didn’t have the answer. I only knew that it had to have been a sign. Something was thriving underneath the grounds of Coventry and that this was only the beginning. It had felt like ages since my family and I had managed to vanquish Thantos and thwart his plans to separate my family and claim the throne. _Could this be a sign of his return?_ I couldn’t be sure, but I knew it was worth my looking into before I brought about the concern of my husband and children. It was my vow to protect my people by whatever means necessary, even if it forced me to put myself at risk.

            To think that Thantos was thriving within the Darkness, somehow clinging onto his life after all this time, sent a tinge of pain into my heart in worry that this would be his call for vengeance.

_No, I won’t allow my family to be separated again._

            I could only hope it was a promise I would be able to keep.


	2. Preparations

            “Okay, we’ll put the couch here and then this can go here,” said Camryn Barnes, moving the centerpiece coffee table with the flick of a finger. “Oh my God, Sis. This is so fab!” she exclaimed.

            It was Saturday, but not just any Saturday. Today was the 25th birthday of twin sisters Camryn Barnes and Alex Fielding, and to celebrate Camryn’s wealthy parents bought the two of them a two story home nearby to share now that they were living stable lives. Although turning 25 years old isn’t a big deal for most people, it’s a big deal to the sisters and their birth family in Coventry.

            Carrying in an overly large suitcase, Alex said, “Shouldn’t we be spending today with Mom and Dad?” She was implying their birth parents, Miranda and Aaron. She dropped the suitcase with a puff of air in relief.

            “Oh, come on, Alex. You’ve got to admit that this place is totally the bomb. We finally have our own place!”

            “I know, I know, but today’s important to them too. I’m surprised that Karsh and Illeana aren’t teleporting in to nag us about it.”

            Camryn laughed. “Well, as far as I’m concerned, _they_ don’t have a fabulous house like this to decorate. Besides, Miranda and Aaron said that everything takes place tonight. We don’t have to show up until later.”

            With a sigh in defeat, Alex joined her eccentric sister. The twin witches (or, as they liked to call themselves, twitches) went about organizing the new home. It was indeed beautiful with a living room fit for a full night of family and friends to celebrate, large bedrooms with walk-in closets, and other rooms to spare whatever needs they may have. Of course, Alex had to negotiate about making room for a study and Camryn agreed.

            Alex’s decision to have a study placed within the new home stemmed from events that had happened just four years ago when the sisters restored their birth father from the depths of the Darkness. She had taken interest in Aaron’s study prior to his return and found herself spending time there when visiting Coventry. Aaron admired this and gave her some of his own books, to which she dedicated her time to learning.

            Camryn, on the other hand, wasn’t as eager as her sister to learn. Although the two of them were constantly practicing to become full witches like their birth mother, Camryn had a passion for art. Born with the Gift of Vision, she could merely close her eyes and envision her homeland with enough detail to draw an elegant landscape in absolute perfection. She preferred to spend her days working on her latest drawing, unlike Alex, with the Gift of Knowing, who preferred to spend her nights by writing.

            Over the last four years, the twins had been tasked with learning magic that they had been unable to practice while growing because of the threat of the Darkness. They both found interest in practicing the most basic magic in telekinesis, telepathy, and even some elemental magic such as fire and ice. However, this was not the full potential of the two sisters, rather merely just a taste of what they had been practicing.

            Karsh and Illeana, close friends of the king and queen of Coventry as well as the guardians of the twins, had been personally tasked with training the sisters when they had been reunited after being separated at birth. Since the defeat of the Darkness that was thriving in Coventry, the two had become married and began a happy life together while training the two. Despite the frequent arguing they had about teachings, Karsh and Illeana were nonetheless helpful in some way.

            After a brief conversation discussing furniture placement between Camryn and Alex, Alex picked up a box and carried it upstairs to her bedroom.

            “I told you to let me conjure up the portal!” said the black-haired guardian, Karsh. “You took us to the Purple Dimension again.”

            “You don’t have to be so harsh about it. Jeez, I’m sorry,” responded his blonde-headed wife, Illeana.

            Alex heard the two voices muffled behind her closet door and, in curiosity, sat the box down on her bed and went to open the door. She was greeted by the two guardians, who awkwardly greeted her.

            “Oh, Alex! Hi, sorry if we’re intruding,” said Illeana politely.

            “Well, we did end up in her closet…” muttered Karsh.

            “It’s fine, guys. You know, just curious, do you guys ever use the front door like normal people?” stated Alex, walking back to her box to unpack some of her things.

            “Well, we would have if Illeana would’ve let me call up the portal,” he stated.

            “I said I was sorry!” Illeana retaliated.

            Alex shook her head with a small grin. _Some things never change_ , she thought to herself as she sorted through her things. “What are you guys doing here anyway?” she asked.

            Illeana replied, “Your mother wanted us to come and tell you to make sure that you come see her as soon as possible. She wants to talk to you and Camryn about this evening.”

            “And that doesn’t mean go out on a shopping trip first. She knows you’re setting up the new house but she really wants to see you both,” he added.

            “She’s really strict about this whole ceremony isn’t she? I mean, I know it marks us as official witches and all but we’re hardly through all of our training,” Alex responded.

            “This ceremony is important. Every family has its own way of designating a full witch or warlock, and since you two are the children of Miranda and Aaron that makes you two the strongest in all of Coventry,” said Karsh.

            “Then why didn’t we do this years ago? Like, on our 21st birthday when we brought Dad back?”

            “Because you weren’t ready then, but Miranda feels you’re ready now.”

            “I don’t feel ready, if you want my opinion.”

            “You will soon enough, Alex. Where is Camryn? We really should get going.”

            “Downstairs. Just watch where you step. She’s still moving furniture around.”

            Karsh nodded, and the two guardians left to go downstairs to find Camryn and speak with her.

            With another shake of her head, Alex grinned. “Good luck,” she said under her breath.

 

◊ ◊ ◊

 

            I walked the grounds of the castle daily now to ensure that what I had felt wasn’t true. Ever since the night that I had encountered the strange presence, be it a dream or reality, I had made an effort to keep a personal monitor on Coventry. I wasn’t sure if Aaron had noticed the sudden change in my habits but I only had to hope that I could keep him at bay long enough to find out what exactly was happening. Even I wasn’t for sure.

            As I walked through the castle, I specifically stopped at the bridge that connected one section of the castle to another and looked out the stone window, putting a hand to the side of the window. With a sigh, I put my opposite hand to my sun and moon amulet and watched it glimmer slightly with the light reflecting on it. _I must be going insane_ , I thought to myself. _We vanquished Thantos so long ago. It’s not possible for him to return… is it?_

            I found myself bottled up in my own frustration at times like this. I wanted answers that had a feeling I wouldn’t find on my own until the time was right. After all, I had come to learn over the ages that the universe would reveal the answers when they were meant to be. My own mother raised me to believe in the idea that everything happened for a reason and that we couldn’t focus our energy on things that we couldn’t change. That was the problem with me. Unlike her, I was very stubborn and set on protecting those that I could even if it seemed impossible. I had hoped I could raise Apolla and Artemis the same way but that they wouldn’t make the same mistakes that I did so long ago.

            “Your Highness,” a male voice spoke from behind me. “Is something wrong?”

            I glanced behind me, slightly startled, and recognized it as Demitri, a servant of the castle but certainly a friend to my daughters.

            “I’m sorry, Your Highness. I didn’t mean to startle you.” He bowed apologetically.

            “No, no, Demitri, it’s quite all right.” I offered a gentle smile. “I was just thinking. That was all.”

            He nodded. “Of course. Is there anything I can do for you? You seem somewhat concerned.”

            Demitri was a smart young man, no doubt very observant, and I admired that quality in him because I knew it would help him grow. Apolla had taken a personal liking to him when they first met, and, although she was young at the time, I had a feeling it would be a friendship that one day would be valuable. Whatever was to come, I hoped that he would be at their side to help them with whatever problems that they couldn’t solve alone.

            “I’m fine, Demitri. Don’t be worried for me. I just have many things on my mind.”

            With another nod and a final bow, he spoke, “Yes, ma’am. If you should need anything, you can always summon me. I’m at your service.” He offered a gentle smile.

            I smiled as he turned to depart. His words were typical for the castle service, but he meant them genuinely. As much as I wanted to tell him what was happening, this problem was one that needed to be kept to myself first.

            When I turned to look back outside again, gazing over the elegant landscape of Coventry, full of green and gold unlike that of any other dimension, I put a hand to my amulet yet again.

            “Karsh, Illeana,” I spoke for them to hear me through the power of my magic, “Arrange for my daughters to be here as soon as possible. This ceremony is important. You both know that.” I caught the sense of urgency in my own voice after I ended the psychic connection and hoped that they wouldn’t pick up on it. I didn’t need my children worried for something that was possibly not a concern to them.

            When I felt secure enough, I turned to leave and return to my own chambers where I would focus on my reading and to continue writing in my journal. I wanted to record everything that I had noticed or felt of importance, as I always had done. Before entering the room, I turned to the guard by the door and said, “Have the Guard increase the security before my daughters arrive. I will not have tonight’s ceremony disrupted.” I said this without an expectation of question and entered the room without another word.


End file.
